Strong Introductions

The purpose of a post title [headline] is to get readers to read the first line of your post. However, to get people to read your full post, your opening lines are also crucial.

Readers will make a judgment as to whether your full post is worth reading based upon how it starts, and they will continue reading if you succeed in connecting with them on one of a number of levels.

Opening links should pique interest and curiosity, highlight a need that your reader has to give them a reason to read more, show a benefit of reading on, and / or make some sort of promise to entertain, inform, teach, or offer something of value.

You don’t have to do all of these things in the opening sentence of each article you write – but if you want your readers to reach the bottom of your articles and be persuaded by what you write, you’ll need to work hard early on at hooking them on some level.

As outlined above, opening lines matter. But opening paragraphs are important too. You have to tell the reader exactly what your article is about. Don’t use your first paragraph for a meandering preamble. Get to the point.